CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (June 25) expressed concern over the drastic decline in student enrollment at government arts and science colleges across the State, claiming that 43 per cent of seats remain vacant.

Attributing the unprecedented slump to the deteriorating quality of education and severe faculty shortage, the PMK leader, in a statement, urged the State government to immediately fill the vacant assistant professor and principal posts to restore public faith in government institutions.

“It is highly shocking to learn from recent reports that even after the conclusion of the official admission deadline for government Arts and Science colleges, 43 per cent of the seats remain vacant”, he said and added, “Government colleges have lost their sheen,” he said.